Storytelling Using PowerPoint

Storytelling using data involves using data, visualizations, and other forms of data representation to communicate a message or tell a story. It is a way of using data to engage an audience and communicate insights in a clear and compelling way.

However, storytelling using data is a powerful way to communicate insights and engage an audience with data. By carefully selecting the right data, visualizations, and narrative, you can effectively tell a compelling story using data.

With the aim of equipping with this Ninja-level power. We have developed a 1-day workshop, which has been conducted at prestigious companies, including PwC, EY, ITC, Coca-Cola, Flipkart, Asian Paints, etc.

Outline:

• A: Use Google to find sector-wise trends on latest industry charts | 10 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Get context- specific (sector, business, KPI) ideas on Charts:
• How to use Google’s Advanced Search tags to see the latest industry trends on charts
• B: Essential chart elements & settings | 60 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Customise the chart settings and options to make it client-ready.
• Anatomy of a Chart:
• Chart Title (metric name) vs Slide Title (inference)
• Writing a title for figures
• Writing a title for a slide (also called strapline)
• Vertical vs Horizontal Axis, Axis Titles, Data Labels, Gridlines, Legends; Fill & Outline
• Source & Footnotes
• Exercise: Get to know all the essential Chart settings:
• Sort the data set for easy comparison (Desc / Asc Order)
• Create a ‘Column Chart’
• Change Chart Type – Horizontal ‘Bar Chart’
• Column Chart vs Bar Chart – Why?*
• Format Axis – Categories in Reverse Order
• Format Data Series – Reduce Gap Width & Best Practice
• Add Data Label (numbers) – 3 ways
• Data Label – Inside Base vs Outside End
• Change color of all or one the series
• Add a thin border, dashed line to one of the series
• Convert Y-axis ‘jump’ values = 0, 50, 100 …. 200
• Remove Gridlines & add Primary Major Horizontal Gridlines
• C: Essential Charts - 1 | 100 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Focus on business charts that are commonly used in Consulting.
• Basics of 2 axis Charts – Primary Axis (Column) & Secondary Axis (Line)
• Thermometer Chart & its use cases
• Automatic color of negative data series (column)
• Waterfall Chart – 1
• De-mystifying the ‘Select Data’ option
• Stacked Column
• 100% Stacked Horizontal
• Re-basing / Indexing data to a base of 100 for comparing time-trends (Line)
• D: Concept of Parallel Chart or Side-by-Side Chart | 45 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Focus on how to present multiple data points without adding clutter.
• Three Types using industry examples – EY, McKinsey
• Exercise – Create a parallel chart incl PowerPoint shortcuts & Data handling tricks
• E: Alternatives to Pie Chart | 45 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Explore better alternatives to Pie Chart.
• Each pie chart should have 100% = “metric being shown” on the top right hand corner
• Horizontal Bar
• Treemap
• Waterfall Chart – 2
• Donut
• F: 7 Storytelling Strategies | 60 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Learn from best industry practices & consulting reports (updated Aug’2022)
• 7 strategies to add impact to text / table heavy slide
• Symbols (Webdings, Wingdings) – criticality, % completion, tick, legends for lengthy names
• Highlighter (dashed outline)
• De-Highlighter (white tracing paper) – semi-transparent white shape
• De-Highlighter – greyed out text
• Clustering using curly braces shape (75%:25%)
• Number Pointers for Navigation & Flow of reading
• Callouts
• Essential – PowerPoint Shortcuts to create new visuals
• Exercises – Overlapping circles, Waffle Visual
• G: Quick Theory - Hygiene Factors to present Table | 30 mins.
• → Learning Objectives: Overview of presenting tabular-data better.
• How to format tables (text alignment, borders, shading, distribute rows/columns)
• Every table needs to have serial numbers on the left
• Every table needs to have a row for totals
• Tables /Charts need to be sorted on the basis of relevant logic (alphabetic order is not a logic) + How to Sort
• Every table/chart/figure in a slide must have a title, left aligned, which captures:
• – Name of metric being monitored and analysis being shown
• – Time validity of data
• – Absolutely no inference statement in the Table title (the slide title needs to capture that or these need to highlighted in a callout)
• Source needs to be mentioned in each slide
• Each number mentioned must have a unit
• No acronyms without reference at the bottom (like Legends)